During the month of January, we are inviting Friends to pray for FUM’s ministries in Belize as we serve at-risk youth, nurture a young church, and serve the southside community. 

• We are thankful for the steps our youth take to transform their lives.
• We are thankful that the COVID-19 virus has so far spared our immediate community. 

For our community 

• Pray for families affected by the economic impact of the pandemic. Many of our community members struggle to find work.
• Pray for our youth who graduate from high school as they enter a heavily depressed workforce.
• Pray that God will prepare and equip our youth in advance for exactly the jobs that will be available for them upon their graduation.
• Pray that God will provide work for our members who are already adults. 

For the school

• Pray that our students will continue to engage in their studies even though we are not meeting in person. 
• Pray that all will be safe in their homes, both from the virus and from sometimes unstable family situations. 
• Pray that our teachers will remain creative and motivated, even when they cannot see their students. 
• Pray that in this unusual situation, learning and connection will happen.

For the church 

• Pray that we can remain connected throughout the time of social distancing. 
• Pray that our members take adequate measures against infection, and that each of us can feed our families or be fed (in the case of our many children and youth). 
• Pray that the strict enforcement of safety protocols does not damage our relationships.

For the community center

• Pray that our feeding program will remain funded and that we will continue to have the staffing and energy to maintain our distribution work. 
• Pray that we will be able to adjust to changing social distancing laws and closures. 
• Pray that our community will continue to engage in helping us spread the food boxes to the homes that most need them in our community.

For FUM’s staff

• Please also pray for FUM’s staff here in Belize. This work is very difficult and draining in the best of times . . . and these are not the best of times. We are struggling with exhaustion; we need strength, energy, and consistent rest to sustain us so we can continue to do our work together.

Warning: Explicit content.

Nakivale Refugee Settlement Camp is located in Southern Uganda, on the Tanzanian border. Settlement camps are considered “security installations,” and are highly guarded due to the numbers of asylum-seekers among the refugees.

The journey to establishing a Friends meeting in Nakivale’s Settlement Camp began when Erias Kabura, a Burundi refugee, contacted Friends Uganda’s leadership (clerk, Paul Kuloba and Alfred Wasike, Uganda’s General Secretary) to request help creating a Nakivale Friends Meeting.  

Erias, Paul and Alfred presented information to the Friends Uganda Executive and General Boards. Three years of discussion, discernment and prayer led to approval by the Friends Uganda board and the government of Uganda—and Nakivale Friends Meeting was established.

Erias envisioned Nakivale Friends as a place where refugees from various countries could learn about church planting, spiritual disciplines, and Bible storytelling. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as of November 2020, Nakivale hosted refugees from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Somalia and Southern Sudan. Therefore, it was important to seek clearance from various government officials to enter the sprawling camp and begin this missionary journey. 

The first meeting of Nakivale Friends was held December 5, 2020. It was a historic event—not only to Erias, but also to everyone who attended the Meeting’s opening ceremony, many of whom had trekked to Nakivale from far and wide, including various war-torn East African locations. In attendance were 98 adults and 13 children, with much singing and dancing provided by the women and children. Paul Kuloba led his sermon with the “great commissioning” of Matthew 28, while Alfred Wasike discussed the history and current state of Quakers in Africa.

The refugees’ testimonies were the highlight of the day. Most refugees have experienced very difficult circumstances, yet they still have a profound appreciation for God’s provision. Refugee life is unstable and filled with of uncertainties, and even the simplest daily needs may not be met. Many refugees have only temporary housing, and they don’t know if they’ll ever be able to return home because of the terrifying experiences they left behind.

One of the many testimonies was from a 62-year-old woman (name withheld)  who recounted: “I came here 22 years ago. I fled from Gitega (Burundi’s capital) one night. Drunken government militia members came to my home. They killed my husband. They raped me and my three teenaged daughters for ten consecutive days. They forced my 16-year-old son to rape first me, and then his sister. Then they killed him with a sledgehammer. 

One night, when the militia was asleep in our sitting room, we sneaked out and walked to Nakivale through Tanzania. We feared to go through Rwanda for fear of being captured. The walk took two weeks. Two of my daughters died in the park (Biharamulo Game Reserve, in northern Tanzania). We were infected with a very serious sexually transmitted disease. My other daughter and I were lucky to get to Uganda, where we received medical treatment. It is very comfortable here at Nakivale. Having a church here makes it even better, and from the clerk’s sermon, we feel encouraged.” 

The displacement of millions of Africans is tragic, and their experiences are harrowing. Despite this, these refugees believe that God did not turn a blind eye to them. They believe that He is working through their lives. With an indomitable human spirit, they look forward to what the future holds.

— Alfred Wasike
      General Superintendent of Uganda Yearly Meeting

After his parents died, Luke’s aunt and uncle gave him a home. He was pretty sure his uncle didn’t like him much, though. Luke thought about running away, maybe finding work on one of the boats or barges that tied up at the port of Cincinnati, his hometown and the biggest city in the West. When Levi Coffin, a storeowner in an Indiana village, asked Luke to work for him over the summer, Luke jumped at the chance to live and work with this Quaker family, who treated him with such kindness and respect. But while the Coffins lived in a quiet town, far from civilization, their home was known as the “Grand Central Station” of the Underground Railroad. Luke had to decide whether to obey his uncle, who told him to have nothing to do with breaking the law, or join in the dangerous—and most important—work of his time.

Written by Randall Wisehart, Luke’s Summer Secret is available in paperback, hardcover, and e-book formats—on sale this month at the FUM Bookstore.
 

For more than 100 years, Christians have been invited to participate in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. This gathering is celebrated next week between 18-25 January. Friends across the globe are encouraged to join our ecumenical partners in praying for our world and our leaders and praying for unity among God’s people. We encourage Friends to attend local prayer gatherings or use the prayer guide in private devotion. This year’s theme is inspired by John 15, “Abide in my love and you will bear much fruit.”

Prayer Guide in English

Prayer Guide in Spanish